Silmeria - Happy reading.
Disclaimer - I claim no rights to Final Fantasy VII
Chapter Seventeen: A Fair Declaration
"You are a true diplomat." Weiss leaned back against the chair shooting Zack a bemused look from across the conference table. "I would have killed your Guide had he attacked me like Rosso did to you."
"It is my greatest my desire to reach across this table and slit your throat." Zack murmured sweetly drawing a sharp gasp from Cloud and a wild smirk from Weiss. "However, I do not wish to cause a war between Edge and Midgar so I will stay my hand. I will not, however, grant that same mercy towards the actions of your Guide. What she has done is incomprehensible and reparations will be made for me and my Guide."
Weiss' smirk widened at Zack's words and he leaned against the table, stapling his fingers under his chin. "You are asking me to lock away my Guide when it was Alpha Guide Strife who instigated the fight?"
"I did no such thing." Cloud protested swiftly. "Guide Rosso had been harassing us the moment we had arrived. She had been harassing Zack on prejudice alone!" Cloud stood up and slammed down his hands on the table. "You have no grounds nor rights to justify Rosso's actions. I will not stand here and let you chastise me like some insolent child! I have every right to defend myself and my Sentinel and will continue do so until that need-that necessity fades."
It was at this point that Weiss smirk had faded and a look of disapproval colored his features. He said nothing until Cloud slumped back into his seat, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed in obvious distaste. He thinned his own lips before speaking again, his tone somber and grave.
"You call for reprimands when there were none for you?" Weiss directed his gaze turned to Zack who said nothing, staring at his counterpart with a blank stare. "You call for vengeance when you stripped us of the chance to exact it? What right do you have to give out commands like a tyrant? Then again, you have the blood of a tyrant so it comes to no surprise."
"Grandfather Xavier's actions have nothing to do what happened during the Gathering," Cloud started swiftly. "You cannot continue to blame Xavier for your actions when the man is dead and returned to the planet. What you do from that moment is based solely on your actions and thoughts alone. Blaming a dead man is not only cowardly but pathetic. I do not blame my father for dying and leaving my mother in dire straights. I do not blame my father for forcing me to watch my mother's soul burn from the inside out due to the loss of her Sentinel. I don't blame others for matters that are beyond my control, Sentinel Weiss and neither should you. As I have said before, reparations must be made for Alpha Guide Rosso's actions or it will be used as a declaration of war."
Weiss raised up a hand at the mention of conflict, his gray eyes passive in the face of that dreadful word. "Peace." he murmured. "I have locked Rosso away and we will be returning home tomorrow morning although it is in poor taste to leave the Gathering early I believe that Alpha Shinra is making an exception. We have the best doctors working on Rosso's mental instability but I'm afraid that nothing is working."
Zack leaned back against the seat, sharing a short look with Cloud. In another time, he would have recommended Aerith to speak with Rosso, to help her fellow Guide in the healing process, but after last year and this year's incidents, he doubted that Aerith would want to help Rosso at the moment. Not with so much animosity between the two women and he doubted that Rosso would want Aerith's help, not with the humiliation of losing to a woman with less experience on the battlefield. So, where did that leave them? They couldn't possibly leave Rosso with her current state of mind.
"What of the Healen Lodge?" Cloud murmured, earning a look of surprise from Weiss and Zack. "It's situated between Midgar and Edge and none of us own that land, right? It's perfect for her. It's quiet and she can concentrate on healing. It's not a permanent solution to Rosso's mental health, but it's a start, but only if you want to be separated from your Guide for the time being. Healen Lodge is firm about its role in the separation of Sentinels and Guides so you won't see her for a considerate amount of time."
"A punishment?" Weiss chuckled bitterly at the thought. "Is this what you want? To strip me of my life force?"
"No." Cloud murmured, lowered his eyes to the table before reaching over and taking Zack's hand on his own. "I would never do such a thing on purpose, but Weiss? She needs help and you know she needs help. The anger and despair that she's holding to? It's not healthy nor is it natural."
"You do not understand the suffering we went through at the hands of Xavier." Weiss buried his face in his hands. "The torture and anguish, the violation my Guide suffered at the hands of those monsters and you expect me to just give her up? To allow her to go to this Healen Lodge? And stay away?"
"It is not forever," Zack reassured. "It will feel like an eternity, but it is not forever Weiss, but this must be done as preparation or we will have to declare war upon Edge. My people and Council have already heard about this incident and not only will I have to go home to people who will demand revenge, but you must go home and face the consequences of Rosso's actions to your own counsel, who have probably suggested mental help for Rosso as well."
"It matters not what the Council or my people desire." Weiss rose from the table, taking his coat and pulling it on with tight, jerky movements. "The world will have its desires as they won't do, correct? My Guide is as good as gone once she enters the Lodge. They will see her problem and never release her. I have seen it done to a number of Guides and I have put a number of Guides and Sentinel in Healen Lodge without a hint of hesitation and it is the Goddess way of punishing me for doing such a wretched thing to people who didn't deserve it." Weiss' lips pulled into a bitter smile and the motion caused Cloud's heart to skip a beat in fear or despair he didn't know, but when Weiss spoke up again, the decision was made for him.
"I cannot imagine the joy you must feel to be by Alpha Fair's side, Alpha Strife." Weiss murmured, circling the table and heading towards the door, his steps deliberate and calculated. "To have the world at your feet and the Goddess' Blessing to use and discard as you please. I sincerely hope that you do not lose Her favor. That you do not lose all that you hold dear. You must take it from me, Alpha Strife, it is a dreadful feeling." Weiss nodded head, shot Zack an unreadable look before slipping out of the room, the tails of his coat trailing behind him.
"Goddess," Zack muttered, relief flickering over his features long after the door clicked closed. "What a fucking disaster."
"You think that this is bad wait until we get home." Cloud couldn't stomach the thought at the moment. He could imagine Tifa's anger and Cid and Shera's quiet and loud fury. Not to mention Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis' silent anger and eventual retaliation. What a fucking disaster, indeed.
"What did Rufus have to say about this?"
"He apologizes." Zack murmured, reaching up and massaging his temples, groaning when Cloud was quick to take over the process. "He says that it's best that our Gatherings are conducted in more neutral locations."
"Good idea." Cloud ran his fingers through Zack's hair, smiling when the man leaned his head against Cloud's stomach. "Home?" he prompted.
"Yes."
"Goddess Minerva." Tifa breathed, passing him a piece of cake exactly two days, four hours and thirty-six minutes later after his and Zack's trip home to Midgar. It was in silent agreement that the two of them would separate in order to sort out their feelings and exhaustion. Both of them were still sore from the long fall and still mentally exhausted at the discussion from Rufus and Weiss. It was agreed that Rosso would be transported to Healen Lodge for three years while Weiss would visit and continue to rule over Edge until the time came to retrieve his Guide and continue with their lives - no matter how disastrous. There was an obvious disagreement from Nero and Azareal - Weiss' Second-in-Command, but Zack had been firm about his decision and as did Cloud.
It made neither men feel better about the situation, both of them feeling internally horrid at the thought of separating a Sentinel and Guide, but what choice did they have? It was either continue allowing Weiss and Rosso live as they are, or find some help for the Guide in the hopes that she would get over her past and use her abilities as a Guide to the best of her knowledge. Cloud hoped that the both of them would be friends one day-
The door to Seventh Heaven opened and Zack's stepped inside, dressed as if he had just come from a meeting and looking elegant with a black, lightly striped suit with a deep red tie and a wolf pin on his lapel.
"Zack?" Cloud stood greeting the Sentinel, the smile falling from his lips when he noticed the paleness of Zack's cheeks and the darkness of his eyes. "What's going on? What's the matter?"
"Rosso is gone," Zack muttered, drawing a sharp gasp from Tifa's mouth and the blood leaving Zack's face. Although it was a bit of a shock, Cloud couldn't exactly find himself surprised that she was gone. She hadn't taken it lightly to be transported to Healen Lodge.
"Was...anyone hurt?" Cloud questioned warily.
"Two dead and one critically injured." Zack shook his head at the thought of it. "She snapped the doctor's neck and stabbed her assigned nurse before escaping and leaving her belongings behind. Weiss contacted me and warned me that she could be coming this way which leads me here." Zack nudged his head upstairs. "You need to pack your things."
"What?" Cloud and Tifa blurted out simultaneously.
"Until Rosso is captured you will be moving into Fair Manor." Zack headed towards the stairs without waiting for Cloud to catch up and was quick to find his room and started for the closet where his luggage was stored before moving to his dressers. "Do you have a lot? Could we always buy more clothing? Where are your shoes? You have more than one pair, right? Where are your pajamas? Do you sleep naked? I don't see anything in here."
"Zack." Cloud's cheeks turned a full red before he rushed over and grabbed the clothing out of Zack's hands and started putting them in the suitcase, all the while ignoring Zack's huff of amusement. "That's enough. I-I'll stay, but let me pack, alright? Go back downstairs and explain to Tifa what's going on? She's worried."
"Right." Zack tossed him one last look before going down the stairs and murmuring a soothing noise when Tifa's raised voice echoed back up the stairs. The momentary distraction gave Cloud enough time to pack and think and the first thought was that Rosso was gone from Healen Lodge to where? There was only a minimum amount of places one could go before she was recognized. She could go Modeoheim or Banora or even Mideel and she wouldn't be found, but what were the chances that she would come to Midgar for him?
Startlingly high.
Which was the only reason why Cloud was cooperating with Zack and going to Fair Manor. He didn't want Tifa or her workers hurt in the crossfire. He agreed to go to the Gathering and he agreed to place Rosso in the Healen Lodge so going back with Zack seemed like the first logical step in correcting this entire mess, but what would it be like living with Zack?
As far he knew the man lived alone and being alone with Zack wasn't always innocent. They would have to have chaperones except during bed time when they would part ways. They were still in the process of courting, but Cloud had all but decided to become Zack's Guide and it was only a matter of time. Cloud shook his head, clearing his thoughts, the last thing he needed to be thinking about was his courting. The more pressing concern was Rosso and her next move. She was on a warpath and she wasn't happy at all and while he couldn't do anything, he could prepare which lead him to pull out the long case from underneath his bed. He may be an Omega but that didn't mean he couldn't defend himself.
The Strife Famly's First Tsurugi would make sure of that.
"Cloud? Are you ready?" Zack's voice echoed back to him. "I'm sorry to rush, but I have a six more meetings to go before the day's over. I want to get you settled."
"Coming!"
"Okay." Cloud murmured, his heart in his throat as he dragged his sword and clothing out of the room that played as a home for the last couple of months and into his new albeit temporary life at Fair Manor.
Like Zack had said previously: What a fucking disaster.